Upper West prepares for international trade fair.

Wa, Dec 20, GNA- A three-day Upper West Regional trade fair aimed at preparing prospective local exhibitors in the forthcoming Accra International Trade fair next February opened in Wa on Monday. In all, about 70 local exhibitors are showcasing their products at the region's first ever trade fair organized by the Business Advisory Centre (BAC) of the National Board for Small-scale Industries in collaboration with the Regional Co-ordinating Council.

Exhibits mounted by the participants include batik tie and dye, processed foods, handicrafts, smocks and black smith products. Mr. George Hikah Benson, deputy Upper West Regional Minister opened the fair under the theme " creating market linkages for local industries in the region through networking".

In his opening address, Mr Benson noted that it is sometimes disheartening to note that with all the beautiful products displayed, our people cannot take advantage of the numerous marketing opportunities all around us and also to participate in international trade fairs in the country.

He therefore, challenged small scale industrialists in the region to be aggressive and more daring in the area of marketing their products. In his address, Mr Gabriel Fiatui, head of BAC in the region said the fair is meant to give participants a talk on the basic requirements of exhibition and on export marketing.

He said within the past ten years, the center had trained 1,193 entrepreneurs in various programmes such as business and credit management, group development and leadership.

He added that during the same period about 2, 727 entrepreneurs received advisory and counselling services while 278 business registrations were facilitated by the centre. In addition, the centre had also run trainer of trainers programmes for non governmental and community based organizations as well as organizations.